Puzzle



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. C.. s.. WATSON.

PUZZLE.

Patented Jan'. 5, 1892'.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- CHARLES S. VATSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

. PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,589, dated January 5, 1892. I Application filed April 6, 1891. Serial No. 387,833. (No modell) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. WATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Puzzles, which improvement is fully set forth in the following speciicatio'n and accompanying drawings.

My invention consistsof a puzzle formed of a box or body which is provided with a throat or inlet to admit a coin thereinto, a

' plunger for unremovably holding the coin through exposed and secret means for locking said plunger, whereby the coin cannot be withdrawn until the plunger is released, as will be hereinafter set forth. o

Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a puzzleA embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section, the puzzle being in inverted position. Fig. 4 represents a horizontal section on line to x, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a box which has an opening Bin its top, a side throat C, and an inner shoulder D between said top and throat. Within the box is a plunger E, which occupies a position below the shoulder D and is pressed against or toward the same by a spring F, which rests on the bottom of the box and is in contact with said plunger. In the bottom of the plunger are vertical openings or pockets G, and between the bottoms of said plunger and of the box are balls H, which, when the box is overturned, areadapted to enter said pockets, it being noticed that when the parts are in normal position the balls are interposed between the plunger and bottom of the box, thus preventing the descent of the plunger.

The operation is as follows: The box isoverturned and shaken until all of the balls enter the pockets of the plunger, the thumb or finger being passed through the opening B and pressed against the plunger, it being apparent to the touch of the linger when all of the balls have entered the pockets, so that said balls do not present any resistance to the upward movement of the plunger, `the latter then moving and clearing or uncovering the throat, as will be seen in Fig. 3. A coinis now inserted into the throat C and pushed into the box to full extent, the finger having been gradually removed. The spring F is now op- Amove the coin; but unless he is aware of the secret he cannot accomplish the same, said secret consisting in overturning the box and gently moving the same so as to cause the balls to enter the pockets, when the inger pressed against the` plunger causes the same to rise until it uncovers the throat C, the coin then being relieved, when it may be shaken out or allowed to drop through the throat. The first manipulations may be performed in a concealed manner, as the operator can readily handle the box and Work the puzzle withoutnecessarily seeing the same, thus adding interest to the puzzle.

The balls employed may be ordinary shot; but to the shape or nature of the same I do not limit myself.

Having thus described my invention, WhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

l. A box having a side throat, an open end, and a shoulder adjacent to said throat, a pocketed plunger in said box, a spring pressing the plunger toward said end, and a ball primarily interposed between the bottom of the plunger and that of the box and adapted to enter the plunger when the box is overturned, thus permitting the movement of the plunger and uncovering of the throat, substantially as described.

2. A puzzle formed of a box having an opening in its top, an internal shoulder below said top, a throat in the side below said shoulder, a plunger, a spring, and a ball in said box, said spring pressing the plunger toward the shoulder and said plunger having a pocket to receive the ball when the box is overturned, said parts being combined substantiallyV as described.

CHARLES S. WATSON. Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. W. WIEDERSHEIM.

IOO 

